Automatic bobbin replenishing loom



Aug- 5, 1958 w. Hl BANKS 'ErAL 2,845,957

AUTOuATIc' BoBBIN REPLENISHING LooM Filed oct. 15.` 195e 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. WALDo H. BANKS HARRISON N. THleAuLT ATTORNEY Aug. 5, 1958 w. H. BANKS rAL Auwomxc BoBBIN REPLENISHING Loom` 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15. 1956 INVENTOR, n/ALDO H. BAN

A TTORNE Y ug 5, 1958 w.`H. BANKS Erm. 2,845,957

AUTOMATIC BoBBIN REPLENISHING LooM Filed Oct. 15, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. WALDo H. BANKS HARRIsoN N.TH|BAULT A TTORNE Y Aug. 5, 1958 w. H. aANKs .ErAL 2,845,957

AU'roMm-Ic BOBBIN REPLENISHING LooM 1 Filed out; 15, 1956 5 sheets-sheet 4 "if A l Do 1| g BY .HARRfsoN N.TH| uur A TTDRNE Y Aug- 5, 1958 w. H. BANKS Erzu. 2,845,957

AUTOMATIC BoBBIN REPLENISHING LQoM 5 sheets-sheets Filed Oct. 15, 1956 i INVENTOR. WALDo H. BANKS HARmsoN N.TH|BAu1:r

- A TTORNE Y United States atent O AUTOMATIC BOBBIN REPLENSHING LOOM Waldo H. Banks and Harrison N. Thibault, Hopedale, Mass., assignors to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application October 15, 1956, Serial No. 615,905 24 Claims. (Cl. 139-247) This invention relates to looms for weaving and more particularly, to improvements in batteries for looms in which a supply of filling packages are introduced from a magazine and are automatically controlled in their advance to a position of transfer, Withdrawal of the filling end `and holding and disposing of that end along with the end from the outgoing filling package.

It is a general object of the invention to improve mechanisms of the type described so that they may be greatly simplified, more effective and dependable in operation and to relate the entire device very largely to an air system by which it is caused to operate in timed s-equence with other loom functions.

It is a more specific object to improve the control at the battery entrance in such manner that the magazine employed therewith shall be very precisely stopped in a desired position and shall move quickly and certainly throughout the exact distance by which the adjacent bobbin tiers are spaced.

A further object is that of more effectively maintaining the bobbin next to be transferred in position to have its filling end removed and to be accurately transferred to the shuttle.

Another object is that of devising a simple, coaxially arranged lling bunch extractor or remover and ejector which shall be operated by air under pressure.

A further object is that of improving an air actuated timer and valve system which shall be tied into the air pressure system and shall serve more precisely to regulate the cycle during which air pressure and/or suction may function at and subsequent to transfer of a filling package.

Other objects will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

In automatic, bobbin replenishing looms it has been suggested that an automatic battery be fed from a supply of filling packages (preferably lling wound bobbins) prepared in various ways, thereby to cut down some of the labor costs entering into the weaving of fabric. Most of these have never functioned satisfactorily and thus have not gone into commercial usage.

According to certain recent improvements, a battery has been devised which is fed from a magazine such, for example, as that described in copending applications Serial No. 528,928, filed August 17, 1955, now Patent No. 2,778,382, granted January 22, 1937, but which, however, may be supplied from any other suitable means. The invention, is however, to be practiced with bobbins filling wound and having the thread end temporarily anchored to the bobbin tip by winding it as a tip finding bunch as in United States Patent No. 2,650,769, for example.

In copending application Serial No. 607,420, filed August 3l, 1956, a very effective means has been disclosed and claimed in which an automatic battery receives bobbins from a magazine movable under the influence of gravity and loom vibration. In that mechanism certain functions were accomplished mechanically or by mechani- ICC cally actuated means which, according to improvements herein described and claimed, are more effectively and simply actuated by air under pressure.

According to the invention, a tip bunch remover is combined with a suction thread disposal means the latter of which is concentrically contained within a part of the former and both connected to an air system at the loom so as to be directly responsive to the admission of air at a nozzle and venturi, one being affected by the air at elevated pressure while the other is subjected to suction developed at the venturi. v

The timing of the functions is under the regulation imposed by an air timer means actin-g to valve air to the system upon the initial movement of the members of the bobbin transfer system.

With this bun-ch remover and suction holding means which also disposes of the bunch and end when the latter is cut at the cloth selvage there is provided a second suction means acting at the proper time to dispose of the end from the selvage which was cut at the outgoing, exhausted supply.

The invention will be described in greater detail by reference to a specific embodiment of the same as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing the replenishing end of a loom to which the invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a part of a loom in front elevation and illustrating the timer and its interconnection to the transfer means.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lower end of a battery with a bobbin in position for transfer.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of certain control means at the transfer setting mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a section at line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a general view, parts being in section, of the bunch remover and other parts pertinent thereto.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the mechanism of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an end View of the mechanism of Figs. 6 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a section through the air valve and timing means employed.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing certain magazine stopping and bobbin releasing means in position for the magazine to be advanced.

Fig. ll is a similar view, but showing the parts in position to lock the magazine in a position of rest.

Fig. 12 is a section through-a nozzle and venturi by which air under pressure is used to induce suction in parts of the system.

Fig. 13 is `a perspective view further illustrating the control connections to the timer.

Figs. 14 and 15 .are enlarged detail views showing the cam control employed for raising the magazine latches.

Fig. 16 is a detail View of means for retaining the butt of a bobbin in transfer position.

Fig. 17 is a section showing the parts of Fig. 16 as seen from the end.

Now referring to Figs. l through 5, a more or less conventional fly shuttle loom has applied thereto an automatic battery generally indicated by numeral 20 through which a plurality of filling packages are progressed, the lower one only of which is shown at 21, Fig. l, in readiness for transfer to a shuttle 22 when required. The shuttle is picked by the usual stick 23 and picker 24 from the box 25 at that side of the loom and, ofcourse, is returned by similar means at the opposite side. It is guided to and fro along a lay 26 and reed 27 and through the usual warp shed formed by warp threads passing through heddles in harness frames 28 and 29. The fabric Fis taken up after being drawn over a take-up roll 30 which is positively driven.

When filling on the bobbin running in the shuttle is nearly exhausted, a filling feeler and other mechanism indicates a transfer in a `known manner at which time a starter shaft 31 at the front of the loom, Fig. 2, is rocked to set the loom for the replenishing cycle. At the next forward beat of the lay, through means well known in the art, the bobbin 21 is projected from the battery vinto the shuttle by a transfer hammer 32 and tip pusher 33. These are mounted on a transfer stud shaft 34 fixed in an extension or plate 35 attached above loomside 36.

A Stafford type cutter and binder 37 is mounted to depend from shaft 34 upon a bracket 38, Fig. 1. his cutter is of more or less conventional construction and need not be described in detail here since a full disclosure is available in United States Patent No. 2,711,193.

This much of the basic loom mechanism has been briefly referred to for the purpose of laying a foundation for detailed description of the invention which is applied to and functions with the loom structure just above mentioned.

The battery 2l) is comprised as a downwardly inclined 'chute having an upper member 39 and a lower member 4t), Figs. 1 and 5, between which a number of bobbins are guided as they move by gravity from the entrance end at the top to the lower or feeding end at which bobbin 21 is maintained in readiness for transfer. Both members 39 and 4t? are bolted against the supporting plate 3-5 and have a fiat plate 41 bolted at their outer ends so that the bobbin channel is thus enclosed and bobbins are constrained to move down in guided parallelism so long as the chute is kept reasonably well filled.

At the top end bobbins drop down from a magazine M, Fig. 14, as explained in the application Serial No. 528,928, now Patent No. 2,778,382, or from any other source and pass a feeler plate 42 xed to a spindle 43 which is borne in the side members of the chute and has fixed at each end a cam nger 44, the outer one only of which shows in the illustrations. A counterbalance weight 4S tends to maintain the plate and cam fingers in position to permit the magazine to advance except when there is a bobbin present to press the plate downwardly. By this the feed to the chute is governed as Will presently be explained.

As illustrated in Figs. 10, 1l, 13, 14 and 15, the magazine M is carried upon inclined rails 46 and 47 which are L disposed above the entrance end of the chute. The magazine slides down these guiding rails as the vibration of the loom causes it'to work its way along them. It is, however, stopped in position to discharge those bobbins in each successive vertical cell by interaction of cams 48 and 49 fixed to the top outer edges of the rails, and by hooked latches 50 and 51. The latches are pivoted at 52 and 53 to arms 54 and 55 which are fixed to the outer sides of the rails as shown.

Each latch has a laterally projecting ange 56 to which is attached an arm 57 or 58, as the case may be. These arms bear upon or, at least, are positioned to be contacted by the cam fingers 44. Normally with bobbins in or close to the battery entrance the plate 42 is pressed down and weight 45 elevated in which case the fingers 44 do not affect arms 57 or 58 to lift the latches. The latter rest on the tops of cams 48 and 49 to close off the pathway for the ends of rods 59 which are engaged by both the cams and the latches. These rods as described in the application above noted, when at the lower ends of their retaining yslots 60 cut in the side plates of the magazine, prevent that particular tier of bobbins to which they relate from being discharged. When a magazine moves down the inclined guides, each rod in turn engages the r cams and latches.

The cams raise the rod to the top of its slots 60 thereby freeing that tier of bobbins so they may pass to the battery. In moving to that position, it also brings up against the latches thereby stopping the magazine in that position in which the particular cell involved aligns with the battery entrance.

This mechanism presents a very notable improvement over that previously employed since the cams 4S and 49 have active contours of gradually increasing steepness so that there is no likelihood of a magazine stopping before the rod has been fully displaced. These rods move with more difficulty at the start than when partially raised so that the increasing steepness assures easy action throughout all its motion. The hooked latches present a certain barrier to movement when a rod and the magazine have reached what is a definite and proper position of registry for each successive cell.

The cam fingers 44 and long arms 57 and 58 assure good leverage to unlatch the magazine when the level of bobbins in the battery falls below the plate 42. Weight 45 then very quickly swings the parts to a position of release.

At the lower end the battery or chute is provided with means to hold the foremost bobbin in position for removal of its tip bunch and transfer to the shuttle. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, 16 and 17, the bobbin butt 61 is retained by a stop 62 having a flange 63 which engages between the rings 64 and 65 of the bobbin at the front, and by a swivelling support 66 at the rear. The stop is fixedly attached to the extension 35 while the support is a part of a spindle 67 having a collar 68 which fits in a counterbore in the extension and passes through a bushing or other bearing therein.

A coil spring 69 has one end held in a cupped member 70 pinned to the spindle end and its other end fixed in the hub 71 of the bearing. This spring biases the support 66 to resist motion of the bobbin in a downward direction. lts movement by the spring is limited by a pin 72 which is contacted by an extension 73 of the collar 68. When pressed downwardly to the shuttle by the transfer hammer, the support 66 which is formed with a ledge 74 grooved for the bobbin rings swings out of the Way to permit the bobbin butt to pass. It Vimmediately snaps back to support the next bobbin which moves to transfer position.

At the tip end, Figs. 3 and 5, the package is supported by a xed bracket 75 inclined as shown and screwed to the lower part 40 of the battery. This bracket also provides a hook 76 the purpose of which is to catch the ingoing end of filling at transfer and maintain a separation of that and the outgoing end so that they are not both cut at the selvage at the same time. In addition, a swinging finger 76 fixed to spindle 77 is spring pressed to the position shown by a coil spring 77', see Fig. 3, housed in a cupped holder 7 8 fixed at the other end of spindle 77. This unit is similar to that described for the bobbin butt so need not be shown or described in further detail.

The finger and its spindle are pivoted in a hub 79 of -a bracket 80 bolted to the upper part 39 of the battery.

lt is stopped in normal or upper position by its forwardly extending lug S1 which bears against a second lug 82 cast as a part of the hub 79.

To remove the tip bunch, to hold it as the shuttle is picked after transfer and to dispose of the end when eventually freed at the fabric selvage, a coaxial, pneumatic means of novel characteristics is employed.

Referring to Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8, the unit itself is supported within a bracket 83 which is secured to the end plate 41 of the battery or to any other suitable fixed loom part. The bunch is actually stripped from the bobbin tip by an extractor bushing 84 which may be made from metal or plastic and is split as at 85 to permit it to flex and for the thread to pass through. This bushing is subject matter of the United States application Serial No. 607,42() and need not be described in detail here. It is flanged to be held by ring 36 in the end of an extractor head 87 which is also open at the side at which slit 85 is positioned. This extractor head is threaded or otherwise fixed at the end of a tubular piston rod 88.

A cylinder 89 is clamped in the hub 90 of bracket 83 and has a head 91 at one end and a combined rod guide and suction tube 92 at its other end by means of which the cylinder is closed off. A piston 93 is so positioned on the rod as to stop against the inner end of the head 91 when the extractor is in position over a bunch. An O-ring 94 seals against leakage past the rod and another at 95 renders the piston tight in the cylinder. Air under pressure enters the space at the head of the piston through a conduit 96.

At the other side of the piston the rod extends into the bore of the guide and a spring 97 presses the movable parts to a bunch engaging position. When air pressure is admitted, the parts move against the spring to the extreme dot-and-dash position and in so doing, pull off the bunch and extend the filling end. An O-ring 98 acts as a cushion when the parts reach an extreme position under pressure in the cylinder. The cylinder 89 is vented at 99 to release and admit air so that there shall be only the spring force to overcome as air is admitted and to permit rapid recovery of parts when pressure at the working side of the piston is released.

When transfer is in order in a loom the bunch is removed and that much only would require a motion of the extractor to the extent indicated whereupon it might immediately return. However, since a succeeding bobbin must move to position and the extractor must be engaged over its tip and the finder bunch thereon, it is necessary to hold the extractor in retracted position for a brief` interval. That is accomplished by a latch 100 pivoted at 101 to a forked extension 102 of the extractor head 87 and engageable with a notch in a similar extension 103 which is a part of the cylinder head 91. A spring 104 forces the latch to an active position.

To release the latch, the lay carries a bracket 105, Fig. 8 also, in the upper end of which a screw 106 is adjustably maintained in position by a lock nut 107. The latch has a depending finger 108 which is contacted by the screw 106 as the lay comes forwardly and when the latch is in position holding the extractor in its outer position. It is not desirable to trip the latch at the very first forward motion of the lay after transfer and for delaying the release to the next beat, the piston movement is greater than required as shown in the dot-and-dash lines, Fig. 6. The pressure remains on long enough so that the first forward beat of the lay comes at that time and the tripping means does not engage the extension 108 of the latch 100. However, the air pressure is relieved shortly after that and when the lay is to the rear, so that parts move to the latched position in which these members do align. Then the next forward beat of the lay releases the extractor head.

The extractor must bear a definite angular relationship to the bobbin, that is, the slit in the bushing should tbe at the bottom, and for that purpose, the parts are maintained properly aligned by a spline 109 on the extractor which slides in a groove 110 in an extension 111 of bracket 83. The extractor bushing is pinned or otherwise prevented from turning in the head.

The tip bunch drawn from a `bobbin must be held until after the shuttle has been picked and must then be ejected or disposed of along with the thread end when eventually cut at the selvage. For this purpose the extractor head is made somewhat bell shaped and the rod 88 hollow so that an axially extending conduit is continuous for the length of the unit. The rod guide and suction tube 92 have attached at the end a suction line 112.

At the same time air under pressure is admitted to the cylinder, suction is induced in line 112. The suction pulls the bunch through this hollow center of the extractor and piston rod to an extent depending upon freedom of the filling to `be drawn from its bobbin.

Means may be provided to limit the amount of filling to enter if there should be a tendency to draw too much.

-Here such means includes the inclined edge of the bracket upon which the bobbin rests.

After the shuttle is picked the ingoing filling will extend from the selvage to the extractor, and when cut at the selvage, will be drawn through the tube 112 to a chamber in a Venturi 113, Fig. l2, from which it is ejected to a receptacle 114, Fig. l.

Air pressure is delivered to the venturi through the hollow transferrer shaft 34 and nozzle 115 in the venturi head 116. Of course, the jet from the nozzle induces suction at chambers 117 and 118 and the line 112 is coupled to the former while at the latter, a suction line 119 serves to dispose of the end of outgoing thread, first drawing in a part thereof when it is cut at the selvage and the remainder when released at the Stafford or similar cutter. This suction tube functions in a manner known to those skilled in the art and as described in copending application Serial No. 607,420 and need not be described further here.

A suitable supply of air under pressure is contemplated and may be generated at the loom or there may be a common source for a group of looms. If pressure is in excess of that desired, a reducing valve may be employed. This air is controlled by a timer presently to be described which may be characterized as an air rather than a rnechanical timer. These parts are shown in Figs. l, 2, 4, 8, 9 and 13.

The combined timer and valve, Fig. 9 in particular, has a body which is divided into two cylindrically shaped parts 120 and 121. Air under desired pressure enters at 122 to a chamber 123 which is connected by a port 124 to a second chamber 125 in cylinder 120.

The chamber 123'is closed off from the outlet tube 96 which runs to the extractor cylinder by a valve 126. This valve seats on a washer 127 or other suitable surface and is movable up or down on its stem 128. When lifted as will be explained, air may fiow past it to a space 129 with which the tube 96 communicates. By this valve the fiow to the extractor cylinder is controlled.

Air in chamber may pass to the nozzle 115 and venturi through a tube 130 and the hollow transfer stud 34. The tube attaches to the timer body at a point opposite the space 131 formed about a perforated sleeve 132, a part of a plug 133. These hold a ring 134 and rubber or plastic washer 135 up in sealed contact with a shoulder at the lower end of chamber 125. These have a relatively large opening so as to provide for a space about a timer stem 136 which passes up through the plug and has a fiange 137 pinned or otherwise fixed in air tight relationship to it. At its top end this stem passes through a head 138 which seats against a shoulder in the chamber at which the size of the bore decreases to extend upwardly in a third part 139. A spring 140 between the head 138 and flange 137 tends to keep the stem in a position to maintain the flange seated on the washer 135 so that the air in chamber 125 may not enter the lower space 131.

Head 138 is sealed by O-rings 141 and 142. Above the head and at that extreme end of the stem a piston includes a cup or pump washer 143 and is held in place by a screw and washer and this, of course, will hold air pressure as the spring draws the assembly downwardly, but permits air to pass when moved in the opposite direction.

Chamber 139 is vented below the piston through an aperture 144. A head 145 is screwed to the top of this cylinder with a gasket between and is provided with means by which air may be permitted to bleed in slowly, here that means takes the form of a porous body of sintered metal 146 set in an opening 147 and held in place in any convenient manner. Here a cap 148 with fiber or rubber washer 149 is held in place iby screw 150 and may have a series of apertures 151, Fig. 1, of progressively greater diameter which may be brought into register with the porous body. The effective diameter of the porous material may be adjustably controlled in any other convenient way.

The stem 12S of the valve 126 is provided with an exhaust vent 15;. drilled centrally thereof and having a radial outlet at either end, one for the space 129 and the other outside the timer body when the valve is closed, but inside the stem guide when opened so that when the valve itself is closed, the extractor piston in returning may push the entrapped air out this valve stern exhaust.

A screw 153 is threaded into the end of the stem 128 and plugs the exhaust opening, but also provides an adjustable abutment against which a means to open the valve may function. The screw is locked in position by a nut 154.

In operating this time-valve unit, the actuating impuise is taken from the transfer mechanism, more specifically, the starter shaft and an arm 155 movable therewith, Fig.

4. The arm 155' has connected to it at 156 a link 157 which extends to attach at 158 to an arm 159 fast on one end of a shaft 160. This shaft is carried in suitable bearings and has a finger 161 fixed at its opposite end aligned below the timer stem 136 and valve stem 12S. The link is adjustable for length and thus the swing of the linger may be so controlled as to displace the timer to a greater or lesser extent. it also opens valve 12.6.

The timer-Valve unit is held in place tby a bracket 162 which attaches to the frame member or extension 35, or to any other fixed part of the loom. Tube 96 passes below the battery.

In operation, assuming parts are all in position ready for a bobbin transfer to take place, the extractor will be positioned as in Fig. 7 with the-extractor bushing 84 over the tip bunch and, of course, air pressure is acting against valve 126 and within chamber 125. From that point, however, there is no pressure or suction in any part of the system. The outgoing filling is held at one end at the cutter 37 while the other end of it has been drawn into tube 119 at the previous cycle.

When the signal for transfer is given, arm 155 swings in a direction to lift link 157 and finger 161 presses valve 125 upwardly to open it and pushes the timer stern 136 upwardly to set it and to admit air to the leasing the outgoing thread so that it is completely dis- ,d

posed of by ejecting it to receptacle 114.

Before the transfer hammer becomes effective, pressure on piston 93 moves the extractor to the right, Fig. 7, withdrawing the bunch. The parts are first moved to an extreme position after which, when the lay has gone forward and back once, they are latched in the withdrawn position by latch 100. There is suction in tubular rod S8 and at the throat of the extractor so that, once drawn ofir the bobbin tip, the bunch and filling end are pulled into the line 112. A brush or other retarding infiuence at the bobbin prevents too much filling being pulled off at the time.

The bobbin is transferred to the shuttle and the end held by suction can give a bit to relieve tension on the filling.

The cutter and binder cut and hold the old end as the empty bobbin is ejected so that as the transfer is completed the old end extends from the seivage to the Stafford type cutter and the ingoing end from the selvage to the hook '76 and then to rod 88. The lay on its first forward movement after transfer trips the latch 190 so spring 97 returns the extractor parts to a position to engage over the bunch and tip of the next bobbin which will by then have moved to a position as in Figs, 4 and 5. it is to be understood that the transfer parts return to inactive position quickly after transfer and thus valve 126 is free to close under the pressure aboveY it. It does close prior to the unlatching of the extractor. Air in head 91 and line 96 is exhausted through exhaust port 152.

The air at the nozzle is maintained for several picks by the timer. However, after the selvage thread cutter has functioned, the stem and piston will have closed by spring 14!) so that the cycle'ends by suction ejecting the cut ingoing end while at tube 119 a cut end of the outgoing thread is sucked in but the other end at cutter 37 is held until the next cycle.

By varying the rate at which air may bleed into the chamber 139 the time during which suction is maintained is regulated. The ingoing thread is caught by hook 76 and a separation maintained so that both ends will not be cut at the selvage at the same time.

Eo-bbins feed from the magazine M as the successive lcells align with the battery entrance. So long as the battery is filled to the point where plate 42 is pressed down, the magazine remains locked in place by the hooks and 51. However, as soon as the bobbin supply is depleted below plate 42, that plate is then tipped upwardly lby weight 45, the cam fingers 44 press arms 57 and 58 to raise the latches thereby to release the magazine. It then descends by gravity along the inclined tracks 46, 47 and the next rod 59 raises up the cams 48, 49 to be pressed both upwardly and rearwardly. This action frees the tier of bobbins affected which then descend into the chute to press down the plate and permit the latches to fall prior to the time the magazine and rod have progressed that far. The cams are progressively inclined more steeply so that advantage is taken of the gradual and slow ascent at the start whereupon toward the top of the cams, movement is rapid since the weight of bobbins and the position of the rod with respect thereto is almost enough to displace the rod without the cam.

While one embodiment yof the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, a combined means for removing the -bunch from bobbin ends and for disposing of it and retraining the filling end while the shuttle is picked which comprises an air operated gripping and suction means.

2. In combination in a loom for Weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bob-bin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, and a means for removing the bunch and retaining the end of filling from a bobbin which comprises a gripping means engageable with the bunch and an air pressure responsive means for moving said gripping means axially to and from the bobbin.

3. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bob-bins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, and a means for removing the bunch and retaining the end of filling from a bobbin which comprises a gripping means engageable with the bunch and an air pressure responsive means for 9 :moving said gripping means axially to and from the bobbin, and means controlled in sequence with other parts for timing the action of said bun:h removing means.

4. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having lling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbin-s into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, and a means for Iemoving the bunch and retaining the end of filling from a bobbin which comprises a gripping means engageable with the bunch and an air pressure responsive means for moving said gripping means axially to and from the bobbin, and an air operated and controlled means for timing the action of said bunch removing means.

5. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of -bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, a cylinder and piston aligned with that bobbin which is next to lbe transferred, means operatively connected to said piston and movable therewith to a position to engage a bunch and to remove it from its bobbin, resilient means to move said piston in one direction and means to admit air under pressure to force said piston in the opposite direction against said resilient means.

6. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, a cylinder and piston aligned with that bobbin which is next to be transferred, means operatively connected to said piston and movable therewith to a position to engage a bunch and to remove it from its bobbin, resilient means to move said piston in one direction and means to admit air under pressure to force said piston in the opposite direction against said resilient means, said means to admit air comprising valve means incorporating an air responsive timer.

7. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, a cylinder and piston aligned with that bobbin which is next to be transferred, means operatively connected to said piston and movable therewith to a position to engage a bunch and to remove it from its bobbin, resilient means to move said piston in one direction and means to admit air under pressure to force said piston in the opposite direction against said resilient means, said means to admit air comprising valve means controlled by a timer responsive to displacement of air.

8. For a loom of the type described a means to remove an end finder bunch from a bobbin to be transferred and for retaining the filling end during transfer and until the shuttle has been picked which comprises a hollow piston rod, a piston toward one end of said rod and a cylinder within which said piston may be displaced, a bunch extractor at the other end of said rod, resilient means for moving the piston in one direction and air pressure means for moving it in the other, and suction means applied to said hollow piston rod to hold and eject a bunch and filling end.

9. For a loom of the type described a means to remove an end finder bunch from a bobbin to be transferred and for retaining the filling end during transfer and until the shuttle has been picked which comprises a 10 hollow piston rod, a piston positioned toward one end of the rod and a cylinder within which said rod is guided and within which it may be displaced, a bunch extractor comprising a bunch engaging bushing and an extractor head fixed to the other end of said rod, a

` bunch engaging bushing and extractor head are open at 15 L one side for passage of the filling and means for maintaining the said extractor head against rotation about the cylinder axis.

1l. Mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein the hollow piston rod is guided at one end within a sleeve extending within the cylinder at one end and having a suction line connected to it at the end externally of the cylinder.

12. In a loom having a lay, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, a means for removing the tip bunch from a bobbin to be transferred and for retaining the filling end during transfer and until the shuttle has been picked which comprises a hollow piston rod, a bunch extractor at one end of said rod, a cylinder within which said rod is slidable, a piston on said rod and resilient means to move said piston in one direction and air pressure means to move it in the other, suction means applied to said hollow piston rod to hold and eject a bunch and filling end, and means to retain said rod and ejector means in a position to which they have been moved by said air pressure means for an interval and for then releasing them.

13. Mechanism as deiined in claim 12 wherein said means to retain the rod and ejector means comprises latching members.

14. Mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said means to retain the rod and ejector means comprises latching members and the releasing means includes a tripping means carried by the lay.

15. Mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said means to retain the rod and ejector means comprises latching members, the displacement of the parts under the air pressure being substantially greater than that when in latched position, and contacting means carried by the latch and by the lay for tripping the latch, said means being positioned to align only when the parts are in latched position.

16. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means for moving the leading one of said supply of bobbins into the shuttle upon call for replenishment, a combined means for removing the bunch from bobbin ends and for disposing of it and retaining the end while the shuttle is picked which comprises an air operated gripping and suction means, and means for timing the action of said bunch extracting and ejecting means which comprises a combined timer-valve means responsive to displacement of air therein.

17. In combination in a loom for weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having filling wound thereon an end of which is wound in the form of a tip bunch adjacent the bobbin end, transfer means into the shuttle .upon call for replenishment, a combined means for removing the bunch from bobbin ends and for disposing of it and retaining the end while the shuttle is picked which comprises an air operated grippingV and suction means, and means for timing the action of said'bunch extracting and ejecting means which comprises a combined timer-valve means, said means comprisinga valve for admitting air under pressure to said extractor, a second valve to control air for inducing 'suction at the ejector and timer means forming a part of said second mentioned valve for governing the duration of the cycle.

18. Mechanism as defined in claim 17 wherein said first mentioned valve has exhaust ports therein through which the air for said extractor may be exhausted.

19. Mechanism as defined in claim 17 wherein said valves are opened by means including the transfer setting members.

20. Mechanism as defined in claim 17 wherein said valves are opened and the timer set by means including the transfer setting members.

21. In combination in a loom for Weaving, a bobbin feeding means for retaining and presenting for transfer to a loom shuttle a supply of bobbins having illing wound thereon and received from a magazine guided for travel above and in register with said feeding means, said magazine having its bobbins disposed in vertical tiers and means including a transverse rod movable in inclined slots for retaining each tier of bobbins, but movable in their slots or releasing a tier, and means operable vwith Vsaid feeding means for stopping a magazine in position to discharge bobbins to the feeding means and to release a tier of bobbins comprising a latch.l a cam and means in the feeding means to release said-latch upon the number of bobbins in said feeding means falling below a prescribed quantity.

22. Mechanism as defined in claim 21 wherein said magazine is arrested and said rod moved to release a tier of bobbins by a combined cam and latch, said cam acting to displace the rods which retain their respective rows of bobbins and having a contour of progressively increasing steepness in the direction of motion of the magazine.

23. In an automatic battery for a loom a bobbin chute inclined to the horizontal so that bobbins may move along it oy gravity, means for releasably maintaining a bobbin in transfer position which comprises independent means at each end of the bobbin including a fixed abutment and a rocking, spring loaded member displaceable at transfer.

24. Mechanism as described in claim 23y wherein said guide members at the bobbin butt have means to prevent `endwise movement of the bobbin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,566,880 Fiset et al. Sept. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 731,354 Great Britain June 8, 1955 

